Reviews and Testimonials 

I always have my clients' satisfaction as top priority. It’s how I roll, and always humbled by the feedback from my clients......

"I engaged Grant as a Coach in August '21 when I decided to do the Mallorca 312 .   I can honestly say I've never been better prepared for an ultra race event and I peaked right at the exact right time. I'm so impressed with Grant that I've retained him for the 312 next April and for the Donegal 555 in August 22!! Grant has a very straight-forward and friendly approach to coaching and I can honestly say that if you follow the program he sets then you'll be really well prepared for any event you decide to take on, and indeed will enjoy the level of life-fitness you achieve!!"
★★★★★ 
— Ronan, Dublin, Ireland  
"I started with Grant in October 2020. Was not new to cycling but couldn’t find the magic switch to get better, fitter and faster. I will not say Grant will flower up any training plans, it’s hard work, it’s solid numbers based on factual analysis of your performance against his custom made plans. He delivers results - period. While doing that he has a very calm professional approach to his coaching style and helps you believe that YOU CAN also deliver the results. 100% professional".
★★★★★ 
— Nick, Mallorca, Spain Spain
"From my first Zoom meeting with Grant, I knew he was the man for the job! He’s so softly-spoken and always instills an air of calm. He’s outrageously experienced, knowledgeable, and patient (especially when it came to helping me get to grips with all the technical stuff). Grant’s own cycling experience is inspiring, and is testament to him really knowing his stuff. He can completely relate to any struggles, dips or down days his athletes may have as he’s been there, done that - and knows how to get us out the other side. I had goals and challenges which Grant took time to research and understand - and he has helped me smash them all".
★★★★★
— Fay, Ireland & Mallorca

Testimonials

Customer Reviews (Validated on Google Business)
 
Abud,  Perth Australia, February 2023, State Criterium Racer ★★★★★
"I have been training with Grant for over a year now and it’s been a fantastic journey. I could not recommend him enough. He is experienced, knowledgeable, engaging, empathetic and always encourages you to reach for your best. I have over achieved my goals with Grants guidance and support, increased my power and become the fittest I have ever been.From his calm and engaging style, great listening skills, and always interesting insights, I enjoyed our discussions, and appreciated Grants willingness to always accommodate whatever comes up and support me to work through it and continue to train.Highly recommended as a coach, 5 star experience."

Mark H, London, UK, September 2022, Ride Across Britain (RAB) ★★★★★
I am sitting on the train heading down to Ride Across Britain 2022. 980 miles from one end of the British Isles to the other (LEJOG), and I’m feeling relaxed and quietly confident because of Grant and the training he’s supported me with. I work best when I follow a plan, and I like a mix of using data and science but also listening to my body and using my intuition. Grant’ approach worked perfectly for me. He pushed me when I needed, he kept me honest, and he told me when to dial things back. Always there to support and advise, but always making sure I remained fully accountable to myself. He knows his stuff, is truly passionate, and he’s done LEJOG and many other epic rides himself so he speaks from experience. While others around me are having those last minute nerves, I know I’ve done enough and I know I’m fitter than I’ve ever been and a lot of that is thanks to Grant.

Fay B, Dublin & Mallorca, September 2022:   ★★★★★
I started cycling in March 2021 and became instantly hooked. An incredible new and colourful world was opened up to me. I had some faint thoughts that I should maybe get a coach as I felt I had the potential to be a decent cyclist and wanted to realise that, so a friend recommended Grant. 

I told her “I don’t want a coach that’s going to shout at me, or drive me to tears. I’ve enough going on without the stress of that. I want someone who will take me to new levels, and who will be kind and understanding. I want to be pushed...but not over the edge.” From my first Zoom meeting with Grant, I knew he was the man for the job! He’s so softly-spoken and always instills an air of calm. He’s outrageously experienced, knowledgeable, and patient (especially when it came to helping me get to grips with all the technical stuff). Grant’s own cycling experience is inspiring, and is testament to him really knowing his stuff. He can completely relate to any struggles, dips or down days his athletes may have as he’s been there, done that - and knows how to get us out the other side. I had goals and challenges which Grant took time to research and understand - and he has helped me smash them all. 

His training style is very ‘real’ and accommodating, and his communication is simply wonderful. Varied training sessions, fun rides on the road when we did an event together in Mallorca, WhatsApp messages with top tips and reading material he thinks I’d enjoy, jokes, support, banter, kudos...Grant is more than just a coach - he’s a great friend. 

My cycling has improved enormously under Grant’s watch - I’m a much stronger athlete now, and my new-found confidence in the saddle spurs me on to take part in sportifs and gran fondos all over the world. 

I can’t recommend Grant’s coaching service strongly enough, whether you’re an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, or a nervous newbie. He’s the ultimate professional.

Sue P, Royal Borough of Richmond,  September 2022: Lands End to John O'Groats   ★★★★★
When I first spoke to Grant about completing Le jog I was concerned about my ability on hills and Grant said to me ‘you want to enjoy rather than endure’ and he hit the nail on the head perfectly and geared his plan to help me achieve just that. The plan took account of my work load on weekdays which utilised the turbo trainer and longer hill based routes on the road bike at weekends. Grant was readily available on WhatsApp and phone to help with other queries; group sets to use, recommended tyres etc. I would highly recommend Grant to create a training plan; and wouldn’t hesitate to use him again, a great experience

Leonie C,  Melbourne, Australia, August 2022: Lands End to John O'Groats   ★★★★★
I completed Lejog (1000 miles) south to north coast of Britain in August and could not have completed it without Grant’s online coaching program. Did the basic and hill climb 12 week programs which were excellent preparation. Grant provided ongoing feedback and readily answered any of my queries via WhatsApp (I live in Australia). Highly recommended!

Fiona B, Goldburn, New South Wales, August 2022:  Lands End to John O’Groats ★★★★★
I worked with Grant for 3 months before I did LEJOG in August 2022. Grant designed a training program for me that helped to build my strength for the climbs. I felt stronger and fitter by the time I did LEJOG and I honestly feel I wouldn't have achieved my fitness without Grant's help. The training program was manageable and challenging. I loved it! I knew what I needed to do on each day and just did it. As I was in Australia and training through winter it was great that I could do the set sessions on the trainer through Zwift or go out on the road, depending on the weather. Grant was always available to provide motivation and helpful advice when needed. I will certainly contact Grant when I am training for future events.

Elizabeth C,  Melbourne, Australia, July 2022: Lands End to John O'Groats   ★★★★★
I contacted Grant in November 2021 when I decided to take on the LEJOG ride with Pedal Britain in August 2022. Attempting the ride was something of a hare-brained scheme as I was overweight, unfit and barely able to get out of a chair without making a weird sort of groaning noise: getting old basically. 

Also at 58 I’d tried many types of exercise over the years in a sporadic way but nothing had ever really stuck. During lockdown in Melbourne I took up cycling on a gravel bike with a group of friends and really enjoyed the sense of freedom and speed compared to walking and running.Obviously drastic measures were required to make this Lejog dream a reality. 

Having read the testimonials it was no surprise to find Grant’s initial assessment online to be nonjudgmental and enthusiastic about my goal. He made it sound completely achievable.  It’s 8 months since then and to say there’s been a   transformation would not be an overstatement. The effects of aging and inactivity can be reversed.  With Grant's superb program, kind encouragement and support I’ve lost weight and become fitter and dare I say more athletic than at any time in my life.    The program is cleverly designed to allow you to achieve progressive improvement without overtraining or becoming jaded or disillusioned. The sense of achievement after each workout is great.

Continuous audit of performance is built into the program which is a very satisfying way of seeing how the hard work is paying off.Grant also has a knack of making the world of the cycling geek accessible to the complete novice with no pretension or exclusivity. He was very helpful in helping me to chose my new bike even going to the trouble of researching the best bike shops in Melbourne.In short,  

Grant wants the best for you and he has the knowledge, program, sense of humor and personality to get you there. Highly recommended.

Charlie S, Benson, Oxfordshire:  September 2021:  Haute Route Alps 2022 ★★★★★
Grant's scientific and structured approach, takes into account my age, time available etc, less (meaningless) time on the bike but more (value) work when on it.     I have signed up for more training so I am ready for the Haute Route Alps 2022. I trust his methods and believe the data so look forward to getting into the top half of the group next time around! I highly recommend him ".

Mike H, Cheshire, July 2021 : Lands End to John O'Groats plus Three Peaks Challenge ★★★★★
"Grant’s approach to training is next level. His dynamic and flexible training programme meant I could really push myself further than I imagined.   Not only a genuine person but a trainer that unlocked the best of my ability! Couldn’t recommend highly enough!!!"

Richard, Seething Wells, Surrey, June 2021 ★★★★★
"Having connected with Grant through the TrainingPeaks platform he has provided a level of personal coaching that belies the off-the-shelf packages offered. He shows genuine insight and interest with none of the pretention or snobbery that often accompanies cycling, particularly when people start taking it a bit more "seriously" (whatever that means) and caring about their training and power numbers. Have not yet had a chance to really put the training to test in my upcoming event, but I've made measurable gains to date and feel confident more are to come under Grant's stewardship."

Steve, Lymm, Cheshire, June 2021 ★★★★★
"I started using Cycle for Fitness 6 months ago after an initial consultation with Grant about a planned Lands End to John O Groats ride. My cycling regime prior to working with Grant was focussed on trying to do more and more miles and in 2020 I clocked up around 5000 miles. I was rather cynical with the initial training plans that Grant set. It was significantly less miles, each week with a new focus on data such as heart rate and cadence. Three months later after seeing results Grant introduced Power and the results have been astounding. Every week I feel that I am learning how to cycle more efficiently, faster and I now enjoy hills rather than fearing them. I feel that Grant is with me on every ride because he is constantly looking at my data and providing significant support. His communication is excellent, very motivating and he always takes the time to explain my many questions. The bottom line of all this is that after 6 months my speed, power and efficiency have all significantly improved. But more importantly at the age of 54, cycling with Grant's support and guidance has tangibly made me fitter and healthier."

Clive, Portishead,  June 2021 ★★★★★
"I am signed up with Grant at Cycle for Fitness and he has been my cycling coach since September 2020 helping me to prepare to cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats over 14 days in August 2021. I had limited cycling experience before then and wanted some professional input to best prepare me for my challenge I am very happy with the service and input provided - professional and knowledgeable, but also delivered with humour and a friendly manner, and I can see and feel the massive improvements in my cycling performance over the last 9 months. The acid test is still to come, but I am confident I shall be rolling out from Lands End in August as well prepared as I could be for the 14 day challenge ahead."

Nick, Mallorca, April 2021 ★★★★★
"Started with Grant in October 2020. Was not new to cycling but couldn’t find the magic switch to get better, fitter and faster. I will not say Grant will flower up any training plans, it’s hard work, it’s solid numbers based on factual analysis of your performance against his custom made plans. He delivers results - period. While doing that he has a very calm professional approach to his coaching style and helps you believe that YOU CAN also deliver the results. 100% professional."

Ed, Barley, Hertfordshire, March 2021 ★★★★★
"Went into the unknown looking for a coach to help with my cycling goals and have lucked out. Grant has been patient with me as I have learnt about cycling as a new starter. He is really helpful in learning about what the workouts are trying to achieve, providing detailed feedback and adapting my program as life gets in the way. He has so far got me from a mid D racer on Zwift to winning a C race in the Zwift racing league during lockdown. I would highly recommend."

Gareth, Alton, Hampshire, February 2021 ★★★★★
Great results so far... I started with one of Grant's intro offers for the over 50's on Training Peaks. I was just bouncing my way around Zwift and wanted some structure. Grant's plan was an eye-opener to benefits of structure and variety and the important recovery sessions which I needed as I was overtraining (then losing motivation). The plan introduced me to Training Peaks, Sufferfest and their Yoga programmes.. other features on Zwift and some key cycling stretch/conditioning work. So... so far, Fitness up, flexibility up, and weight and bodyfat down. I even managed to start this plan late November, and apart from an expected blip over Christmas, I have now set a 2-day MTB trail ride as a Target to train for over the next 12 weeks. Grant is very responsive and encouraging and willing to work around constraints while avoiding any long-term compromise. Thoroughly recommend Grant's services if you want to put some focus into your training and certainly if you enjoy seeing the various data feeds which show your improvements... which will come!

Phil W, Stoke Pogues, November 2020 ★★★★★
"I’m not a big review kind of guy, but once in a while there’s a compelling case. Grant runs Cycle For Fitness with a clear passion for what he does, backed with a deep knowledge of what it takes and how to apply it. My experience over the last 12 weeks has shown me the value in his services (and I emphasise value) as the gains I’ve made from a cycling fitness perspective are impressive for an ageing enthusiast! But more than that, it’s the way Grant runs things; organising / helping with tech, encouraging and responding at every turn, giving useful context to the stream of information and data and understanding the ebb and flow of life! I’d thoroughly recommend Grant to anyone of pretty much any level - if they want to both improve their cycling fitness and enjoy the process too. In fact, I already have to a close friend. Thanks Grant and I plan to be back again with another target!".  

Gwyneth, Mallorca May 2020 ★★★★★
Age is never a limiter to health and wellbeing "I’m 65 years old and bought my first road bike three years ago. This year I bought a brand new Canyon. I learned to cycle when I was 55 which coincided with our move to Mallorca, an amazing place for cycling. I soon realised that I didn’t just want to go to the same places I wanted to climb hills and see the island, I needed to improve but I’d no idea how. I wanted to train smarter not just harder. I came across Grant whilst reading stuff on Facebook. I got in touch with him and we got cracking immediately. I was fortunate to already have a smart trainer as just after my training started so did the COVID19 lockdown so I’ve spent a lot of time training in doors and feel like I’m getting somewhere although the proof of the pudding will be the results I see once we can cycle outside. Working with Grant has been easy, everything I need to do appears in my training plan via my phone. It’s simple to understand. I’m using Zwift software as recommended by him. The training is challenging but fun. Grant has never set me workout that is too much, too long or boring. I’ve enjoyed every session and am looking forward to reaping the benefits once we are able to ride outdoors, watch this space for!" 

Ready to Start ?

Other Stuff

ithlete - Know when to train, how hard to train and when to rest
 
The UK Government, and others across the world agree that a population that is active significantly impacts the outcome of health related conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, respiratory diseases, certain types of cancers, and mental health issues. Building on my post from a few weeks ago, I came across a US study that shows that there is a direct correlation between changes in the time gaps between our heart beats (called heart rate variation) and the leading causes of death. I have been an advocate of monitoring heart rate variability (HRV) for over 2 years, using this as a means to identify trends in my own health within the context of readiness to train. 

On days when my HRV reading are high, this indicates that I am well rested, my stress levels are low, the levels of muscle soreness are low and that I am ready to train at a high intensity. The converse is also true, on days when my HRV is decreasing, this can indicate an imbalance in my nervous system, usually caused by lack of sleep or overdoing the training (when doing particular hard blocks of exercise), or perhaps my immune system is taking a hit and I am at the beginning of the the onset of a cold....or worse. 

Given the research, the impacts we see of Covid-19, plus my own experiences of monitoring HRV, I am now adding HRV monitoring as default into my coaching services. When you sign up to any of my online coaching programmes or services, I will set you up  and work with you during the programme to ensure that understand your baseline HRV and monitor it throughout the entire course. By measuring your HRV every morning, we will know whether you are ready to kick that workout out of the park, or take a more relaxing day if you need greater recovery time...or simply to reflect on what impacts you most in terms of quality of sleep, diet, stress levels, training load, etc.

If you'd like to know more, or sign up for ithlete's HRV then follow this link below:

 

The Prince's Trust Ride Across Britian

For the fifth  year running, we are delighted and honoured to be chosen to support #TeamPrincesTrust riders embarking this September on one of the greatest cycling challenges going; 969 miles in 9 days in support of the Princes Trust and their work to help and empower our youth get into jobs, education and training.  

If you like long descents

Then you will love this video of one of our favourite from the hillside town of Guia De Asora to the sea in Tenerife.


Cycle For Fitness Supporting Janet's challenge to Cycle Across Costa Rica

"Following major surgery on my hips and having been unable to exercise for 6 years I decided to take up cycling to improve my fitness and finish off my rehab. I set myself a challenge to do a charity bike ride across Costa Rica and got in touch with Grant as I had no idea how or where to start. He has been instrumental in me achieving my goal - measuring my fitness levels, giving me programmes to work on, suggesting all sorts of tips from shoes to gloves and nutrition to hydration, updating programmes and routes as I improved and generally being encouraging when I was convinced I would never do it. As a result, the ride was beyond what I hoped for and I had the time of my life. I can thoroughly recommend his coaching and am looking forward to pushing on to the next level and beyond with his support." Janet McCay, Cornwall


The Fan Zone

One of the main complaints we get when we exercise using an indoor trainer is the problem of overheating. When we overheat, we sweat bucket loads, we feel terrible and the result is significantly poorer performances; I am convinced this is the main reason we dread the prospect of the indoor winter training months. To give you some context of why we overheat, when riding outdoors at say 15mph on the hoods, the cooling airflow you get is about 9,000 cubic feet per minute (CFM), whereas the average fan that people use in their indoor setups will blast you at a measly few hundred. For me, I have been using a tower fan, and even at (a generous) 1300 CFM, was not keeping me cool, resulting in pools of sweat on the floor, my clothes and body soaked and the feeling of being totally drained after just a modest workout. Something had to change.  See our latest Blog for our review of the Wahoo KickR Headwind training fan.

Autumn is Around the Corner ! 

Are you worried about losing the hard earned fitness that you built up over the summer ?  I do not want to be a harbinger of doom, but the nights are starting to draw in already, the days shorter and will begin in just a few weeks to become autmunal once again.   However, this is a fantastic time of year to go our riding, enjoying the colours of the changing season and the quieter roads.   To keep you fresh and motivated, we have developed 8-week blocks of training that is tailored to maintain your summer fitness levels before you have to succumb to the dreaded winter sessions (usually on an indoor trainer).  We have options to purchase additional blocks as you maintain your fitness levels.   By taking one of our plans we will work with you to keep pyou motivated nd injury free, help to monitor your fitness and ensure you emerge in 2020 fitter, faster, stronger. What's not to like ?   Click here for more details.

Customer Testimonal Video 

We were delighted to help Sean regain his fitness with a plan tailored to his specific needs, and avoid his usual propensity to become injured when training. The video captures his thoughts having completed our programme, and you can tell it comes from the heart, making it all that more special for us to be able to help. 

Want to ride faster, then learn technique 

A recurring theme that I hear from clients, friends and other cyclists is an obsession about what speed they should be going and how they can get faster. Now don’t get me wrong,if you are wishing to be a competitive cyclist, or ride with a club then sure I get it, you need to train to improve your performance, ie to be faster. But for mere mortals, i.e. those of us that might like to join our buddies on a mid-week ride or Sunday “ride to the cafe” jaunt, or we ride purely with an intent to improve our fitness and wellbeing, by concentrating on speed without understanding the need for the accompanying bike handling skill is tempting fate. 

Testimonials and Clients

 

"I’m not a big review kind of guy, but once in a while there’s a compelling case. Grant runs cycle for fitness with a clear passion for what he does, backed with a deep knowledge of what it takes and how to apply it. My experience over the last 12 weeks has shown me the value in his services (and I emphasise value) as the gains I’ve made from a cycling fitness perspective are impressive for an ageing enthusiast! But more than that, it’s the way Grant runs things; organising / helping with tech, encouraging and responding at every turn, giving useful context to the stream of information and data and understanding the ebb and flow of life! I’d thoroughly recommend Grant to anyone of pretty much any level - if they want to both improve their cycling fitness and enjoy the process too. In fact, I already have to a close friend. Thanks Grant and I plan to be back again with another target!

 Phil W, Stoke Pogues  


"Grant is a very nice guy. I joined cycle for fitness about 4 months ago in order to improve my cycle fitness and technique ready for our Lejog trip next year. I have found him very professional. He has always sorted any queries very quickly.   At 70 it is never to late to improve. Under Grant’s guidance and training plan I have certainly noticed the difference for which I am very grateful. I would certainly recommend Grant to anyone who wants to become a better cyclist."

Sue F,   Yeovil


"Following major surgery on my hips and having been unable to exercise for 6 years I decided to take up cycling to improve my fitness and finish off my rehab. I set myself a challenge to do a charity bike ride across Costa Rica and got in touch with Grant as I had no idea how or where to start. He has been instrumental in me achieving my goal - measuring my fitness levels, giving me programmes to work on, suggesting all sorts of tips from shoes to gloves and nutrition to hydration, updating programmes and routes as I improved and generally being encouraging when I was convinced I would never do it. As a result, the ride was beyond what I hoped for and I had the time of my life. I can thoroughly recommend his coaching and am looking forward to pushing on to the next level and beyond with his support."

Janet M, Cornwall 


" Grant prepared me for a 1 day 205km ride from Leicester to London in 2018. I had an ok bike and an amount of bravado but Grant helped me to prepare properly. As the ride was in March, with Grant’s advice I bought a Turbo to ride indoors through the winter and all the electronics to analyse my riding ability and fitness. Grant has great experience and patience and developed a programme for me to improve my fitness and technique, including rides we did together. He really knows his stuff and I had a great sponsored ride, surprising myself with my ability to go the distance (with the help of loads of pasta, bananas and sponge pudding and custard!). I would recommend Grant to anyone wanting a sympathetic yet challenging cycling trainer""

Trevor D, Oxfordshire, England

 

This program is ideal for people like me who would like to cycle more but don't know how to get into it. I bought my bike last year but hardly used it, having the coach encourage and guide you makes the process so much easier. 3 rides a week is just about right to get you into the swing of things and the coach is there all the way to encourage you and answer all the little questions you're afraid to ask. The team are so friendly and enthusiastic about cycling, you can't help but catch the bug. The bonus is you get fit too!”

Sarah S, Oxfordshire, England


" Grant's passion for cycling and his knowledge and ability to impart it are very inspiring . I have had the pleasure of accompanying Grant on a few long rides now. Some of them around the 100 mile mark. 4 years ago I was 3 stone overweight, depressed and feeling very low about myself. This year I cycled 1500KM in 15 days incorporating 5 of the hardest climbs on the Tour De France calender! One of the descents off of Mont Ventoux was with Grant. It was a highlight of the trip.   I can highly recommend Cycle For Fitness!"

Alexander R, Plymouth, England


“I was fortunate enough to have a 1-2-1 training ride with Grant prior to a large road event. His expertise and knowledge on how to ride efficiently was second to none. I learned how to change gear properly (at last!) and how to attack hills with maximum energy. This really did make a world of difference to the ride and all of his techniques and tips made for a much smoother, easier and (I'm pleased to say!) faster ride. Thanks Grant!”

Claire, Hampshire



 
 
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